Improvement in desulphurizing ores



` plished in twenty-four hours.Ai`

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` traina sata v Leners Patent No. 100,497, dated March s, 1870.

` IMPROVEMENT 1N DESULPHURIZING- DRES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent` and making part of the same.

`To all whom it may concern .-1

Be it known that I, ELIZABETH A. BURNS, of Meadow Lake, county of Nevada, State of California, have invented an improved Method and Process for Disintegrating and Desnlphurizing Rock, Cres, and Sulphurets; 'and I do hereby declare the following description and accompanying drawings are sufficient to enable any person skilled inthe art orvscience to which it most nearly appertains to make and use'my i said invention orimprovcmcnts Awithout further invention or experiment.

My invention relates to an 4improved method and process of treating rocks, audmore especially ores and sulphuret-s which contain the precious metals, for the purpose of desulphurizing and disintegratingr thein,in order to render them capable of being easily-separated, and to render the metals contained in them' capable of amalgamation and extraction.

My process is particularly adapted to that class of ores known as rebellious ores, which cannot be worked `in the ordinary mannerof working ores, owing to the vpeouliarchemical combination of which they are composed; and

It consists, first, in subjecting the rock or ores to a heatingand bnrning-process in apeculiarly-constructed furnace; and, secondly, in placing .the rocks or ores, after burning, in a solution prepared to receive it, by which itis thoroughly desulphurized, and the cohesion 1 of the particles destroyed, setting free the free gold,

.and the rock or ore is passed int-o the chamber D,

through the hopper E, where it remains until ,it` is thoroughly roasted, which will generally be accom- The `smoke and heat from the. furnace pass up through the opening F in the side of the chamber D, beneath the boiler, and into the ore-chamber, where it aids in roasting` the rock:

On the opposite side of the furnacefrom the boiler is a,covered way, G, which is separated from the orechamber by a partition, through "which draught-openings a a are made, and through which` the smoke passes on its-way to the chimney H.

These openings may be closed or the draughtregu-` lated -bydampers I, which are attached to a r'orl, b,

which extends through they side ofY the furnace, by sliding which yback and forth the draught-openings can be closed, or partly closed, as desired:

Risingfrom the boiler B is a steam-pipe, K, which leads directly across the top ofthe furnace, and branches out into a number of pipes, K K K', equal to the number of draught-opeuings a. These pipes descend through the top of the furnace, and terminate, one `just above each of the openings a, so that a constant jet of steam plays directly across the openings upon the bottom of the ore-chamber, and preventsany waste of the metals by evaporation, or by being carried ott' by the draught.

This principle can be applied in various places ,where metals are being subjected to a great heat, and it will be found to Vbe a complete guard against evaporation or waste of the metals, which are inclined to be drawn up the chimney by the draught.

In the bottom of the ore-chamber is an opening, vL, which extends to the outside of the furnace onan inclined plane, and through which the ore is drawn o after roasting.

Thus far 1 have explained the rst part of my method or process for desulphurizing and disintegrating rocks and ores, which diiiers from the usual method of roasting only'in the form and arrangement of the furnace,

and the use'of a jet of steam for settling any light particles of metal which are inclined tobe drawn oit by the draught. i

vIt is essential in working ores by my method, that the rock or ores should be thoroughlycalcined, in or der that all the volatile parts shall be driven otf.

The second part of my method or process consists in plunging the calcined ore into aV bath'or solution, which "completes the work of disintegratiomleaving it in aform or quality resembling ashes, and in a tit state for separation.

'This solution consists of the following ingredients,

This solution is kept in vats convenient to the discharge-spout leading from the furnace, and the heated upon by mercury when treated in the ordinary method.

ore or sul phurets are run directly into it from thechamber, in which it is permitted to remain the same length of time which it has been under the action of the Itire.

After the caloined ore Or snlphurets have remained a suiicient length Of time in the solution, the solution is drawn Ot into an adjoining vat, which leaves rthe Ore in a perfectly disintegrated state, and much resembling wood ashes, the particles of gold being set free; after which, by the usual processes Ot'treatin g pulverized ores, 'the gold Or other metal can be separated from the gangue or matter with which it is mixed.

By this process ores of the most refractory nature can be treated without crushing, and the gold, after beingsubjected .to the above process, will amalgamate very freely, when, in fact, it would refuse tO be acted Having thus described my invention,

What I claim, and desire to secure by Let-ters Patent, is-

1.' The use of a jet of steam passing across the draught-Openings a, for`the purpose of preventing waste of the metals by evaporation, Or by being drawn` off by a draught, substantially as herein set forth.

y 2. A bat-li, for the purpose specified, compounded of the ingredients named in the foregoing specification, in about the proportions specified.

- In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

ELIZABETH A. BURNS. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

A. F. BLOOD, ROBERT BURNS. 

